The loss of St George By Dave Kidd The Sun

ON the weekend of St George?s Day, only 41 per cent of Premiership footballers will be Englishmen.

The number of home-grown players starting top-flight matches has almost halved in the last 10 years ? with alarming consequences for the future of Sven Goran Eriksson?s England team.

On the corresponding weekend in 1995, 175 Premiership stars were English but, this weekend, just 91 men are qualified to wear the Three Lions.

And while no one can deny the positive impact of imports like Thierry Henry and Arjen Robben, the ever-decreasing percentage of native talent is enough to make our dragon-slaying patron saint want to breathe fire.

Of this weekend?s programme, including Monday night?s North London derby, only four Premiership clubs ? Everton, Charlton, Norwich and West Brom ? will boast a majority of Englishmen.

Five years ago, England boss Kevin Keegan had 112 Premiership starters to choose from, now Eriksson must select his side from a minority of top-flight players.

Ten years ago, Sheffield Wednesday fielded an entire English XI, while even Arsenal included 10.

ST GEORGE'S DAY
English players in the Premiership
1995 2000 2005

72% 51% 41%


That has all changed under Arsene Wenger, who used only one native player, Ashley Cole, in Wednesday?s draw at Chelsea ? and has even packed his club?s youth system with overseas players.

Former England winger Chris Waddle said: ?I?d like to see a return to the three foreigners rule ? no one would object to three real top-notch foreign players in their side but we have to think of our own players and our national team.

?Soon, the England manager will have to be looking at Championship players to fill up his squad.?

Ex-England boss Bobby Robson added: ?The best foreign blood can only add to the quality of our league.

?I am not against the top stars such as Henry, Vieira, Bergkamp and Van Nistelrooy being over here. But we must be careful to give the young English talent a chance.

?We must be careful not to flood our game with poor-quality imports. We must protect our national game.?